The Greatest Threats To Hunting Today

[Mr VJP]

http://www.americanhunter.org/articles/huntings-greatest-threats/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Threats-text&utm_campaign=Fishing

[First-light]

I also feel that not getting kids involved is a huge mistake. I have two girls who want to give it a shot. They both will be offered a chance to hunt with me. I have mentored other kids coming up through the ranks and it was well worth it. I am so looking forward to the proposed youth season. If you have never taken a kid out give it a shot, you won't be disappointed! getting kids involved will help enormously, we all head off to our happy hunting grounds some day-need to pass it on!

[nyantler]

I think hunter selfishness is the biggest threat... I believe most hunters wouldn't care less about whitetails if they had to give up something for the benefit of the animal... The "I have to get a deer every year no matter what" mentality along with apathy... is a big divider between conservation and hunting. Hunters need to remember that hunting is a priviledge, not a right... and the priviledge is tied directly to wildlife conservation... without conservation, there is no hunting. The want to put antlers on the wall and venison in the freezer will not preserve the priviledge to hunt... the effort to preserve wildlife and habitat will.

[Doc]

Apparently it has skipped the attention of a lot of us, but the major factor in the decline of hunting is a social and cultural shift that is turning toward technological trinkets and urbanization and away from activities and interests of natural pursuits. There continues to be a change in the societal view of consumptive activities such as hunting, fishing and trapping. Much more interest is invested in the latest cool electronic gadget or game or other items that you can sit on the couch and have entertain you. It's not just a little change either, but rather an accelerating one. People are not interested in what they now view as low-brow, uncouth activities that require the exertion and discomfort of mucking around out in the wild.

Changing all that involves a lot more than  hunter attitudes or dragging kids out in the woods for a special weekend hunt. We are talking about a cultural change that involves a complete indoctrination of our youth. And that at a time when even the adults are opting for this techno-religion. Hiking, camping, and other things that focus on nature and the historical traditions of self reliance must again be emphasized before hunting, fishing and trapping will again gain acceptance and growth.

Now that's not a nice little one-liner solution like we are so fond of, but it is the only thing that will truly turn things around. Of course all of this really amounts to just another way of saying that the popularity of hunting will continue to slide because none of it has the support of parents and requires much more parental lifestyle change than they are willing to undergo. It's too bad, but the demise of outdoor activities is just another evolutionary change. At the very least we must prepare for the face of hunting to change significantly until one day we will no longer recognize it as what we once did. The best we can do is to stall the end as much as possible, and keep trying to avoid having the activity bastardized to the point where even we chose to abandon it.

[First-light]

Well there you have it, take a kid out without their cell phone and teach them to love the sport no matter if you bag something or not. Simple as that!!

[WNYBuckHunter]

I think hunter selfishness is the biggest threat... I believe most hunters wouldn't care less about whitetails if they had to give up something for the benefit of the animal... The "I have to get a deer every year no matter what" mentality along with apathy... is a big divider between conservation and hunting. Hunters need to remember that hunting is a priviledge, not a right... and the priviledge is tied directly to wildlife conservation... without conservation, there is no hunting. The want to put antlers on the wall and venison in the freezer will not preserve the priviledge to hunt... the effort to preserve wildlife and habitat will.

And you can get a good example of that with the debate on how DMPs are issued in NY under the newly proposed system. Guys just seem to want to use that either sex tag on a doe whether it is good for the herd in that location or not. Then they turn around and complain that they dont see any deer. 

[nyantler]

Apparently it has skipped the attention of a lot of us, but the major factor in the decline of hunting is a social and cultural shift that is turning toward technological trinkets and urbanization and away from activities and interests of natural pursuits. There continues to be a change in the societal view of consumptive activities such as hunting, fishing and trapping. Much more interest is invested in the latest cool electronic gadget or game or other items that you can sit on the couch and have entertain you. It's not just a little change either, but rather an accelerating one. People are not interested in what they now view as low-brow, uncouth activities that require the exertion and discomfort of mucking around out in the wild.

Changing all that involves a lot more than  hunter attitudes or dragging kids out in the woods for a special weekend hunt. We are talking about a cultural change that involves a complete indoctrination of our youth. And that at a time when even the adults are opting for this techno-religion. Hiking, camping, and other things that focus on nature and the historical traditions of self reliance must again be emphasized before hunting, fishing and trapping will again gain acceptance and growth.

Now that's not a nice little one-liner solution like we are so fond of, but it is the only thing that will truly turn things around. Of course all of this really amounts to just another way of saying that the popularity of hunting will continue to slide because none of it has the support of parents and requires much more parental lifestyle change than they are willing to undergo. It's too bad, but the demise of outdoor activities is just another evolutionary change. At the very least we must prepare for the face of hunting to change significantly until one day we will no longer recognize it as what we once did. The best we can do is to stall the end as much as possible, and keep trying to avoid having the activity bastardized to the point where even we chose to abandon it.

The sad part is that when our generation and maybe the one behind us are all gone... nobody left will think it's as important as you, I and many others here...I will enjoy my hunting regardless of the future of hunting... the onus falls on whoever is here when the rest of us are all gone to keep up the tradition of hunting.. if they choose not to be interested then so be it... at least I won't be here to witness it.

[Doc]

The sad part is that when our generation and maybe the one behind us are all gone... nobody left will think it's as important as you, I and many others here...I will enjoy my hunting regardless of the future of hunting... the onus falls on whoever is here when the rest of us are all gone to keep up the tradition of hunting.. if they choose not to be interested then so be it... at least I won't be here to witness it.

Unfortunately, I find myself starting to slide into that reality. I'm trying to fight it, but lets face it, I don't really have that many years of hunting left in me. So little of all this has a personal impact on what hunting days I have left. But the future is getting quite clear. I won't make any predictions as to how many generations before it all disappears or heads into insignificance.

But even while staring that scenario of hunting decline right in the face, I still have this desire to see outdoor activities last well after me, and for me to be thought well of for having invested so much of my life in hunting, fishing, and trapping and all the other peripheral activities outdoors, So it does bother me to see it all heading down the drain.

However, you are absolutely correct. The time will eventually come that the people of future generations are going to take on the destiny and direction of hunting. I just wish I could see some small sign that that is actually going to happen.

[nyantler]

The sad part is that when our generation and maybe the one behind us are all gone... nobody left will think it's as important as you, I and many others here...I will enjoy my hunting regardless of the future of hunting... the onus falls on whoever is here when the rest of us are all gone to keep up the tradition of hunting.. if they choose not to be interested then so be it... at least I won't be here to witness it.

Unfortunately, I find myself starting to slide into that reality. I'm trying to fight it, but lets face it, I don't really have that many years of hunting left in me. So little of all this has a personal impact on what hunting days I have left. But the future is getting quite clear. I won't make any predictions as to how many generations before it all disappears or heads into insignificance.

But even while staring that scenario of hunting decline right in the face, I still have this desire to see outdoor activities last well after me, and for me to be thought well of for having invested so much of my life in hunting, fishing, and trapping and all the other peripheral activities outdoors, So it does bother me to see it all heading down the drain.

However, you are absolutely correct. The time will eventually come that the people of future generations are going to take on the destiny and direction of hunting. I just wish I could see some small sign that that is actually going to happen.

We can only do what we can do and hope for the best... after that its up to the generation behind us to carry on... funny how progress can be good and bad at the same time... us older folks know how to juggle all the new technology and old traditions... some of the youngsters have not been exposed to older traditions and I'm sorry to say have become consumed by the new technology.

[Doc]

We're seeing some heavy duty evolution in human attitudes and lifestyles. Some of it is happening so fast that it might be better termed a revolution. I don't care for a lot of it, but then my time of having a say in many of those things is coming to a close.

And hunting has not been left out of that evolution (or revolution). It is all rapidly changing and shrinking at the same time. This kind of thing is not new. I remember times when just about every farm-kid ran a trapline and today trapping is just a shadow of its former self. It's actually an activity that is outright scorned by an overwhelming majority of the society. There is no reason to believe that the same social forces won't have the same effects on hunting. Eventually we have to get used to the idea that many good things pass out of favor eventually. All I can really do is to just be thankful for what I have experienced and let the future take care of itself.

So when we are looking for the significant "threats" to hunting today, it is probably useful to recognize that the most formidable threat is one that we are really powerless to stop. You can't stop social evolution.

[Mr VJP]

But you can take every opportunity to point out the error of it's direction and the fact that it is on a direct course to hell in a handbasket.  If people resent that or get offended, just laugh at them, as if they said anything else equally stupid.

[nyantler]

The way this economy is going... we might have a saving grace in that people will have to hunt and fish soon to get something to eat... and maybe trap to have something warm to wear... and maybe even learn how to build a fir to keep warm... ;D

[Doc]

LOL .... If I had to survive on what I hunt, we would be losing weight real fast.

[WNYBuckHunter]

You would probably hunt differently if it was no longer just a past time, and your family truly depended on the meat.

[Doc]

You would probably hunt differently if it was no longer just a past time, and your family truly depended on the meat.

Yeah, I would have to duck and dodge the 78 bajillion city hunters that would be over-running every piece of woods looking for food too. Can you imagine how long the deer would last if conditions got to the point where our huge population was out in nature trying to forage for food? It would be a lot easier to take up cattle rustling. What the heck ..... even all those hay-burner pet horses wouldn't be safe.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Probably  ;D

[Dave]

The way this economy is going... we might have a saving grace in that people will have to hunt and fish soon to get something to eat... and maybe trap to have something warm to wear... and maybe even learn how to build a fir to keep warm... ;D

Joe, what would people do if they shut down the supermarkets? How would they eat, who would provide for them. They can afford to have their attitudes as long as the supermarket shelves are stocked and can buy anything they want. In bad times it would be good to have a hunter for a friend.

Dave

[nyantler]

The way this economy is going... we might have a saving grace in that people will have to hunt and fish soon to get something to eat... and maybe trap to have something warm to wear... and maybe even learn how to build a fir to keep warm... ;D

Joe, what would people do if they shut down the supermarkets? How would they eat, who would provide for them. They can afford to have their attitudes as long as the supermarket shelves are stocked and can buy anything they want. In bad times it would be good to have a hunter for a friend.

Dave

Yes and its a shame that they don't see it that way...